Work-Life Balance in New Zealand Review
Managing Mayhem, edited by M. Waring & C. Fouche
Nov 3, 2008
Drawing upon contemporary New Zealand research, the various contributing authors of Managing Mayhem [Dunmore, 2007] highlight the popular assumptions behind the term "work-life balance". Not everyone who wants to "works", and not everyone who wants to "plays". As far as achieving a reasonable measure of both, for many New Zealanders, this is merely a dream. For some it may be irrelevant and, for others, it is just not attainable.
The New Zealand Context
The book examines the fairly recent concept of work-life balance within the the New Zealand context, based on the concern that a significant number of people are not enjoying the quality of life that comes from a satisfactory balance. A wide range of perspectives is explored including those of men, custodial grandparents, caregivers, unpaid workers, Maori, Pasifika, the Chinese community, women in lifestyle businesses, small business operators, and artists. By looking at a broad scope of people within the community, the authors succeed in shaking up one's ideas of what constitutes work and non-work.
People's Stories
The sometimes poignant stories illustrate the hopelessness of ever attaining a sense of balance. For example, stress, financial constraints, and limited freedom when caring for a disabled family member, or for grandchildren, often mean people do not have much time to themselves.
There are also those people whose priority is to find employment, and leisure time is not so enjoyable if one is without work. Some people's jobs involve long hours, which limits time for play.
Fiona Te Momo reports on work life for Maori academic women, noting the rise in cultural responsibilities for this group. She notes: "My Maori women colleagues frequently describe being so overcome with work responsibilities that they are unable to balance their lives...they continue to place one foot behind the other to move forward in order to survive in academic life" (p.102).
Work-Life Balance is Not Always Relevant
Marilyn Waring's chapter on artists is a reminder that work is not necessarily a nine to five, orderly existence. It can be all-consuming, flowing through weekends and holidays. Insufficient work and income from a creative endeavour may necessitate taking on a secondary job. Being able to pursue one's passion blurs the lines between work and "life" for many artists, so that a work-life balance is irrelevant.
The Strengths of Managing Mayhem
The broad scope of perspectives and its accessibility to a wide audience are the main strengths of the book. Researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners would find practical application from the wide-ranging areas. While it is a scholarly publication, it is easy to read and would be particularly interesting to those who are interested in work-life issues.
Although Managing Mayhem is researched from a New Zealand perspective, the findings will also be of interest and relevant to other countries.
While there are ways employers and employees can work together to achieve a work-life balance, there are no simple solutions that apply to all. Work and life are not two separate issues that can easily be "balanced" as, for many people, they are inextricably bound. Managing Mayhem highlights the groups in New Zealand communities for whom the idea of balancing work and life is a struggle or simply irrelevant.
